Rumored Ring
by Aruki-Soruyo
Summary: Like any other educational institution, rumors and gossip flow quickly and easily through the grapevine, but one, in particular, ends up bothering the blonde prince more than he would let on.


I do not own Fire Emblem: Three Houses (but can I have Dimitri? pretty please with a cherry on top?)

* * *

The Officers Academy is a prestigious school located in Garreg Mach Monastery. A place where students of all backgrounds and nations come to learn the art of warfare. They mingle with each other hoping to improve their studies, relations, and combat skills to become the best of the best. However, no matter how prestigious a school may be, they all seem to be prone to one thing…gossip.

Rumors and gossip travel through from student and faculty alike no matter which educational institution one may choose to attend, and Dimitri quickly learns that the Officers Academy is no different. In fact, there always seems to be some rumor floating around, especially when it pertains to a particular professor.

_The daughter of Jeralt the Blade Breaker, former captain of the Knights of Seiros._

_The expressionless mercenary that was called the Ashen Demon._

_The mysterious young new professor who is leading the Blue Lions._

And recently, a particularly new piece of gossip had the students talking to no end.

_Professor Byleth had accepted a ring from someone!_

His first reaction was disbelief. Who on earth could she have accepted a ring from?

He had never seen her express any romantic interest in anyone! He should know. He was the one that spent the most time with her after all. As house leader, it was important to maintain a good relationship with his professor, he justified to himself.

His fellow classmates, on the other hand, seemed to disagree.

"It might be one of the other professors!" Annette beamed enthusiastically.

"Or maybe a Knight of Seiros," suggested Ashe thoughtfully. "They're all so strong and dashing."

"Or maybe even the gatekeeper." Mercedes giggled. "She always does go out of her way to talk to him every day."

With those comments made, Dimitri felt his disbelief slowly grow into dread. What if they were right?

_What if the professor did accept a ring from a suitor? _

Those thoughts weighed heavily in his heart as he continued to walk through the halls looking for said professor.

A flash of mint green caught the corner of his eye and he halted to a stop. Slowly, he walked around the hedges that lined the path and looked down at the figure hidden from sight. All prior thoughts seemed to shut down as he crouched down in front of her.

_This is a surprise… _Blue orbs softened as they traced her sleeping figure. _It's rare to see her letting her guard down out in the open. _He was glad that he was the one to find her like this.

Subconsciously, his hand reached out and gently cradled her face. His thumb caressed her soft smooth cheek. _How warm…_

Realizing that his action was inappropriate, he quickly withdrew his hand. A sparkle from the ground suddenly caught his eye and he leaned down to pick it up. His eyes widened at the item in his hand. _A ring…_

Instantly all of his previous thoughts resurfaced and he found himself bolting up, stumbling back a bit. His clumsy steps seemed to wake the professor as she soon opened her eyes and looked up groggily.

"…Dimitri?" She rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

With his back straight and his hands behind his back, he answered, "I was looking for you, actually. Professor Hanneman said he has need of you in his studies."

"Hmm…is that so? Must be more crest studies." She stood up, stretching out all the kinks in her back. "Very well. Thank you for informing me." She patted his shoulder and moved to leave.

"Professor!"

She paused and looked back at him. "Yes?"

"Umm, well…" _Who gave you the ring?_ He wanted to say, but the words died in his throat. "…It's nothing. I bid you a good day."

Byleth eyed him for a moment longer before nodding. "You as well."

She soon left, leaving him alone in the garden. He clutched the shoulder that she had touched as if clinging on to what little warmth was left.

He looked down at the ring in his other hand feeling resentful of the mysterious suitor that had given his dear professor the ring.

* * *

"I wonder what has gotten the professor all worked up," Sylvain wondered as he flopped down on a chair beside the blonde prince.

"What do you mean?" Dimitri asked nonchalantly flipping the page of the tome in his hands.

The redhead turned to him with a cheek leaning on his fist and an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed. Our dear professor has been wandering all over the academy seeming distraught. It looks like she's looking for something."

_Looking for something, huh…_The ring felt heavy in his pocket, but he simply flipped another page. "Is that so?"

Sylvain frowned at his indifference. Dimitri was hiding something, that he was sure. Whenever the professor appeared to have any worries, the young prince was always the first to be by her side. And since he wasn't…well, the heir of House Gautier had little doubt that the blonde may be the reason for it.

He sighed and got up. "Look I don't really know what's going on, but do make sure to make it up to the professor real soon. None of us like seeing the professor feeling down." With that said, he left the library.

Dimitri sighed and placed the book down. He massaged the bridge of his nose in frustration. He took out the ring and carefully observed it.

It was an intricately designed silver ring with amethyst stones carved into petals. It was beautiful, and he felt all the more envious of the man whom she accepted the ring from.

Every day he told himself that he would return it to the professor.

Every time he pulled out the ring it became a day later.

A heavy sigh escaped him once more as he pocketed the ring. He shouldn't delay it any longer. He would hate for the professor to feel miserable any longer. It pains him to have to return the ring, but it would hurt the professor even more if she never found it again, and knowing that, would hurt him even deeper than simply returning the ring.

He got up and left the library, going downstairs and walking to the one place that she has been visiting the most often these days. When he arrived, he stopped a distance away, simply observing the small back of his professor.

Professor Byleth has never been the most expressive person. Honestly, there were times that he felt that she gave Dedue a run for his money as the most stoic person.

But there were moments like this when her feelings seemed to simply radiate from her very being. Sorrow and disappointment draping over her like a blanket.

Guilt pooled inside him uncomfortably. He was the reason she was like this. He had accidentally hid the ring when he picked it up and failed to gather the resolve to bring it back to her. He swallowed hard, straightened his back, and took a step forward.

"Professor." She turned, a slight raise of her brow showing her surprise.

"Dimitri." She greeted as he approached to stand beside her.

"Visiting Captain Jeralt again?" He asked looking down at the grave in front of them. A bouquet of freshly picked flowers laid neatly in front of the gravestone. She nodded in response, wistfully looking down.

Gathering as much courage as he can, he spoke, "Umm..professor? I heard you've been around the academy looking for something." He pulled out the ring from his pocket. "Might this be it?"

The second her eyes landed on the ring, she instantly reached out and grabbed his hand tightly. She looked up at him, aquamarine orbs filled with relief. "You found it! Thank you, Dimitri. Thank you."

Dimitri swallowed thickly as her warm hands continued to cradle his own. Sky blue eyes unable to look away from the warm smile that adorned her normally expressionless face. The sound of his own heartbeat pounding louder than he's ever heard before and he silently hoped that she couldn't hear it.

"Y-you're welcome, professor…" He managed to choke out, chastising himself inwardly at his slight stutter.

The warmth left too soon for his liking as he felt her hands slip away along with the ring. She stared down at the ring with such warmth and fondness that he couldn't help the ill feelings that rose up once more from his heart overshadowing the feeling of joy.

"If I may be so bold, professor, but who did you receive that ring from?" He finally asks unable to hold back his feelings of envy and curiosity. "He must be a great man for you to have accepted that ring." _He better be a great man. A man worthy of your heart._

"Yes. He is the greatest man I know." She said peering up at him with a smile that made his heart clench with jealousy. "As a matter of fact, you're standing right before him."

"…What?" Dimitri blinked taken aback. _Standing right before him?_ He looked in front of him and all he sees is the gravestone with flowers. His eyes widened, realization hitting him like lightning.

"The ring…it's from Captain Jeralt?"

She nodded as she clutched the ring to her chest. "It was the ring he had given my mother, so you can say it's a memento from her as well."

_A ring…from Jeralt…_ _Her mother's memento…_

"I see… I see…" He murmured feeling lighter than he has been in a while. The weight on his chest seemed to lift and he covered his mouth trying to hide the smile of relief that threatened to surface.

"He gave it to me in hopes that one day, I'll be able to give it to the one I love one day," she continued rolling the ring between her fingers.

Finally gathering his calm, he cleared his throat. "…Is there anyone in particular that you have in mind at the moment?"

Aquamarine met sky blue.

His breath hitched at the intensity that swirled in those beautiful orbs. She was like the sea. A vast ocean of mysteries, beautiful and all-encompassing yet powerful and unpredictable.

The moment felt like it lasted a lifetime before she blinked and turned. She took a few steps forward then looked back at him with a smile while holding up the ring.

"I still need to thank you for finding my ring. Do you have time for some tea?"

He blinked, coming back to himself and smiled. She didn't answer his question, but she didn't need to. His heart felt like it already knew the answer.

"I would be honored, professor."

* * *

A/N:

Byleth's eye color probably is more turquoise then aquamarine, but I like aquamarine better XP

If an idea strikes, then there may be more one-shots in the future. Thanks for reading!


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